Shawano Leader Sports Headlines

NORTH DIVISION

POLAR 5 ANIWA 0

WP - Cole Kuenzli LP - Blake Below

POLAR: Jed Weix was 2 for 4; Shawn Wickersheim was 2 for 3; Eric Scheilke was 2 for 5; Randy Krebs was 2 for 5; Jared Furmanek had a double.

ANIWA: Blake Kirsch was 2 for 4 with a double.

ELDERON 10 ELAND 6

WP- Rick Boda LP - Austin Murdock

ELDERON: Matt Meronk was 2 for 4; Brandon Groshek was 2 for 4; Logan Hickman was 2 for 4.

ELAND: Ryan Richter was 2 for 4; Sam Steebs was 2 for 4; Tyler Betry had a home run.

HATLEY 12 BIRNAMWOOD 3

WP - Adam Janikowski LP - Kevin Lex

HATLEY: Travis Olds was 2 for 4 with a home run and triple; Jeremy Schmidt was 2 for 5 with a double; Brad Block was 2 for 5 with a double; Josh Hahn was 2 for 5 with a double.

BIRNAMWOOD: Brian Rew was 4 for 5 with a double; Tim Rew was 2 for 5 with a double; Tyler Carlson was 2 for 4.

EAST & WEST DIVISIONS

No games played. Annual alumni and all-star weekend

SOUTH-CENTRAL DIVISION

NEW LONDON 20 MANAWA 1

WP - Matt Ott LP - Kam Moser

NEW LONDON: Joe Schuster was 4 for 5; Hunter Paul was 3 for 5 with a home run, double and 5 RBIs; Jim Thorp was 4 for 5.

MANAWA: Brandon Bretell was 2 for 3.

NO OTHER RESULTS WERE REPORTED

SCHEDULE:

JUNE 26: Tigerton at Caroline

JUNE 27: Shawano at Little Falls

JUNE 28: Waupaca at Manawa

JUNE 28: Plover at Weymont

JUNE 28: New London at Lanark

JUNE 28: Rosholt at Scandinavia

JUNE 28: Tilleda at Clintonville

JUNE 28: Bowler at Marion

JUNE 28: Menominee at Caroline

JUNE 28: Leopolis at Neopit

JUNE 28: Gresham at Tigerton

JUNE 28: Elderon at Birnamwood

JUNE 28: Eland at Wittenberg

JUNE 28: Hatley at Aniwa

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Kellett cites family obligations, teaching assignment among reasonsBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Chris Kellett said Sunday night he plans to resign as the varsity boys basketball coach at Shawano Community High School.

Kellett, who also is a teacher in the district, said via social media Sunday night that he had informed district Superintendent Gary Cumberland and athletic director Charmaine Schreiber of his decision, citing family obligations.

With Kellett on vacation, SCHS varsity football coach Alan Tomow will file the resignation on his behalf Monday.

Kellett took over the Hawks basketball program two years ago, steering the team to consecutive WIAA sectional appearances and a 35-15 record.

“Shawano was never about me as a coach, it was about the players who took a vision, bought in and competed for each other," Kellett said via email Sunday. "They know how to win, and I expect them to continue to improve. The players were the reason we were successful, and I will always consider them #Family.”

Kellett said a recent change that moved him from Hillcrest Primary School to Olga Brener Intermediate School also contributed to his decision. He said his goal is to teach primary grades, but due to declining enrollment, he was unable to remain at Hillcrest, where he had formed a good relationship with Principal Troy Edwards.

“Hillcrest was very special to me, as Mr. Edwards and the rest of the staff have been tremendous to work with. The previous summer, I was offered a position elsewhere and decided to stay as I appreciated Mr. Edwards and the staff,” Kellett said.

Kellett will be a second-grade teacher in the Neenah School District. He also plans to return as an assistant basketball coach at Lawrence University, a position he held three years prior to his arrival in Shawano.

Kellett and his wife, Allison, reside in Neenah. She accepted a position in the Fox Valley area shortly after he took the Hawks coaching position.

“The community has always been tremendous, the players and their families," Kellett said. "However, there was some disconnect outside the game. With disconnect, being moved to a different grade and school, geographical differences … I had to accept the position for my family.”

Kellett acknowledged he had a difficult time making the decision and pointed to the relationships he made with his players on the court, including junior Zeke Gueths, whom he also coached in AAU. Gueths recently committed to playing football at Northern Illinois University.

“Shawano will always hold a special place in my wife’s and my heart," Kellett said. "We are so thankful to the basketball families and specifically the Gueths family. Without Zeke, I may never have applied.

“The community of Shawano deserves a winner, and our program has taken steps forward. I’m hopeful that the program can and will continue to improve.”

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Gueths receives full ride at Northern IllinoisBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Zeke Gueths

Although Ezekiel “Zeke” Gueths will be a Hawk for another season, he also will be a Husky in waiting.

The Shawano Community High School 6-foot-6, 265-pound offensive tackle this week verbally committed to play football for Northern Illinois University on a full-ride scholarship.

According to Shawano Community High School football coach Alan Tomow, Gueths’ stock rose during the basketball season when his solid frame piqued the interest of college recruits visiting the school.

Northern Illinois was also impressed with his performance in the classroom, where he has a 4.0 GPA, Tomow said.

“They saw great footwork and great potential athletic ability, and was a good college prospect given his size,” Tomow said. “He won them over with this character and his grades.”

Gueths weighed around 250 pounds during basketball season, but Tomow believes a visit from a University of North Dakota recruiter pushed him to work harder.

“He started to realize he could be a legitimate prospect and worked harder in the weight room and lifted more,” Tomow said, noting Gueths has added 15 pounds since.

Gueths said he knew in elementary school he wanted to play basketball for a Division 1 school.

“I told my parents I wanted to play Division 1 sports. I always thought it would be basketball, but God gave me the body of a football player, so I went with what I had,” Gueths said. “My parents (Jon and Wendy Gueths) spent countless hours running me places to work with coaches and trainers.”

Gueths attended several football camps, with stops at the University of Wisconsin, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois and Northwestern University from January through March. He came away with offers from Eastern Michigan, North Dakota and Northern Illinois.

Gueths felt an immediate connection to the Northern Illinois campus in DeKalb after discussing the program with Huskies’ head coach Rod Carey and offensive line coach Joe Tripodi.

“The biggest thing about NIU was that it just felt right,” Gueths said. “When I left campus after attending the camp, I just knew I belonged there. They have amazing coaches and great facilities as well as good academics.”

While he still has one year remaining at SCHS, he was not concerned about being distracted by offers from other schools during his senior season.

“I knew that if I waited longer or went to more camps, I could have earned a few more scholarships,” he said. “But I knew that NIU was the place, and I am happy with my decision.”

Gueths said he will continue to play basketball and participate in track and field for the Hawks.

“You only get to be a senior in high school once, so I’m just going to make the most of it.” Gueths said. “I’ll still be doing basketball and track. In fact, all the years of basketball are what has helped me with all the footwork in football.”

Gueths said Hawks basketball coach Chris Kellett assisted him and Tomow during the recruitment process.

“Neither of us knew much about the recruiting process, so we learned as we went with help from coach Kellett,” Gueths said.

Kellett noted Gueths exhibits tremendous lateral ability on the basketball court for a person of his size.

“Most people that size are not as quick as he is, and it helps laterally on the football field,” Kellett said. “He is generally one of the best I have ever coached. He works hard, on and off the court.”

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Scott Owen, Special to the Leader

Although there was no racing Saturday night at the Shawano Speedway, I was still able to get my racing fix and watch a few drivers with connections to the historic half-mile.

My family and I ventured to the western part of the state to take in the second night of the Masters at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond.

The Masters is a two-night event that features the premier modified tour in the nation, the USMTS Modified tour, and the UMP Summer Nationals “Hell Tour.”

Former regulars of the Shawano Speedway, AJ Diemel and Dave Fieber, competed in the Late Model portion of the show. Chris Oertel, who runs in the Late Model frequently at Shawano, competed in the USMTS Modified show.

Diemel is originally from Navarino and is the grandson of Shawano Speedway Hall of Famer Pappy Diemel. Currently, he lives in Elk Mound and works for Jimmy Mars.

Fieber, formerly of Neenah, lives in Chippewa Falls. Both Diemel and Fieber made the feature Saturday night.

Diemel had a strong showing in the feature, challenging eventual winner Jason Feger for many laps, before lapped traffic took away his preferred inside line. Diemel held off third-place finisher Billy Moyer Jr. en route to a second-place finish.

Fieber finished a respectable 16th in the race. Mark Rose, of Elcho, also attempted to make the show, but could not transfer out of the last-chance qualifier. Oertel finished the Modified feature in 17th position after starting the race in 24th.

Oertel has raced a number of events this summer and is 10th in the point standings for the Northern Region of the USMTS.

If the dreaded “r” word stays away this week, local race fans will be in for a treat at Shawano Speedway, as the IMCA Stock Car class will take center stage.

The total purse for the stock car feature will be more than $5,000, and the winner will take home at least $750. There is also lap leader money on the line. Former Shawano Speedway regular Greg Gutt is slated to be on hand for the event.

Gutt is originally from Bowler, but now calls Erie, Colorado, home. He has been a regular feature winner in Colorado and also scored a track championship last summer. Aside from Gutt and the regular racers at Shawano, there should be a strong field of cars.

Rumor has it that former Modified hot shoe Jeremie Hedrick might wheel a stock car Saturday night as well. This should be a great show. See you at the speedway.

Scott Owen is the track announcer at Shawano Speedway.Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Bonduel returns for another season of Class A American Legion baseball with a new field manager and a team comprised mostly of Bonduel High School varsity players.

After manning the dugout for four years, Jason Luepke opted to step aside and instead oversee the operations as team manager. Kevin Thiel will take over as field manager, with Joel Dobratz serving as his assistant.

“I was looking at getting more people involved, and Kevin and Joel stated they would like to help,” Luepke said.

The squad, which finished 10-3 last season in the Central Wisconsin American Legion Baseball League, features 11 of the 15 players from this year’s BHS sectional-qualifying squad, including two first team all-Central Wisconsin Conference-8 players in left-handed pitcher Connor Rosin and shortstop Travis Wollenberg.

“It is pretty much the high school team, and everyone knows what they can do,” Thiel said. “We expect good things this year. We have the same team as last year.”

Thiel said the team will be strong on pitching with Rosin and Trevor Pedersen as the two front-line starters. He plans to mix in Wollenberg and Hunter VanDerLinden, as well.

“We are going to be sound on the mound and play solid fundamentals,” Thiel said.

When Pedersen is not pitching, he will be behind the plate. Rounding out the infield will be Jordan Richter, Austin Siolka, VanDerLinden and Wollenberg.

Centerfielder Colton Dobratz will bat leadoff.

Bailey Dingeldein, Colton Dobratz, Richter, Austin Siolka and Patrick Thiel also return this year.

“I am looking at for an excellent year,” Luepke said. “We only lost one guy (Jacob Luepke), and that is what will make us a strong team.”

The team lost its season opener Tuesday at Shawano in a 10-inning marathon. The first game of the season, against Iola, was cancelled due to the WIAA playoffs, and the second game was rained out.

AT A GLANCE

Bonduel American Legion Baseball schedule

June 20: at Tigerton (round robin tournament) 10 a.m.

June 22: vs. Menominee 7 p.m.

June 25: vs. Iola 7 p.m.

June 30: vs. Marion 7 p.m.

July 1: at Shiocton 6 p.m.

July 2: at Wittenberg (doubleheader) 6 p.m.

July 4: vs. Shawano Time TBA

July 7: at Manawa 7 p.m.

July 9-12: at New London Tournament

July 14: at Marion 7 p.m.

July 20: at Iola 7 p.m.

July 22: Legion Regional Tournament

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Courtney and Nicki Ainsworth not only created a family memory at the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches senior all-star game Tuesday, they also were the first Shawano Community High School duo to appear in more than a decade.

The two cousins were selected the WFSCA executive board in April after Courtney and Nicki were nominated by SCHS coach Kevin Isaacson.

“Nicki and Courtney were incredibly hard workers and it showed on the field,” Isaacson said.

SCHS has sent one player to the all-star game in each of the last three years: Allison Weisnicht (2012), Alison Van Grinsven (2013) , LaRissa O’Kimosh (2014).

“It’s pretty cool I was part of one of two in history, and it was more special that it was with my cousin,” said Courtney Ainsworth, who played catcher for the Division 2 White squad. She blasted two home runs, was 2 for 5 and drove in three runs.

Nicki Ainsworth showed good plate discipline, drawing two walks and scoring one run, and strong defense at first base, making a few catches down the line, according to Isaacson.

“She had quite a few plays on the field, made some good defensive plays,” Courtney said. “She made good contact with the ball.”

The White squad won the game, 8-3. The squad consisted of players from Rice Lake, River Valley, McFarland, Monroe, West De Pere and Adams-Friendship.

Forty-eight girls were named to the Division 2 all-stars game. Sixty were named to the Division 1 team, and 36 to both the Division 3 and 4 squads.

“It was cool to see how many good girls there are in state softball, that actually wanted to play every single inning. It was awesome.” Nicki Ainsworth said.

“The best thing was being able to meet all the other girls and play with the best,” Courtney aid.

Their experience closed the Ainsworths' high school careers in style.

Courtney Ainsworth was named a unanimous first-team All-Bay Conference selection. She led the Bay in hits with 29 and batted .475. She also collected eight doubles, a triple, 16 runs and 14 RBIs in 16 conference games.

Nicki Ainsworth had a team-leading 27 RBIs as the Hawks’ No. 5 hitter in the lineup. She hit .353 with 18 hits, 11 runs scored and 15 RBIs. She also stole four bases.

Courtney plans to continue her softball career at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where she plans to study exercise and sport science.

Nicki’s career will draw to a close when she attends a school without a softball program, UW-Milwaukee. She seeks to pursue a career in interior design and study architecture.

The memories will remain with the Ainsworths as they head in different directions.

“We grew up together and played together and went to every tournament and it was awesome to have on last game as an all-star with her,” Nicki said.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Gary Seymour, [email protected]

Caitlyn Jenner’s new look opened up a lot of discussion over the past few news cycles, and brought about some relevant questions.

Like this one: How would Bruce Jenner have fared in the 1976 Summer Olympic Games had he already undergone sex reassignment surgery and competed against the women?

Jenner is 65 years old, which is unfortunate from the standpoint that she is well past her physical prime, and there is no way of knowing now how she might have performed against the elite female athletes of her day.

But I’m going out on a limb to say that, had Jenner competed in the women’s heptathlon that year instead of the men’s decathlon, she would have won the gold medal there, too.

This is based solely on a hunch – that, plus her physical composition compared to the rest of the field. A larger frame, quicker reactions, and greater lung capacity, muscle mass and bone density would have made Jenner the big favorite.

Or was that one a little obvious?

It wasn’t obvious to the tennis federation that allowed transgendered Renee Richards to compete in, and draw prize money from, the women’s tour back in the late 1970s.

Later in life, Richards, now 80 years old, renounced her success on the court against other women, to the extent of acknowledging that her original genetic makeup gave her an unfair advantage against the women she played.

But first prize for full-on idiocy goes to the Mixed Martial Arts governing body, which has allowed transgendered competitor Fallon Fox to fight other women.

Check out the domestic violence files for a view of how men fare in physical confrontations against women. Men “win” almost all of these battles, for the same reasons that Caitlyn Jenner would have blown away the field in the ’76 women’s heptathlon: bigger, faster, stronger – you know, the traits that were so helpful to cavemen persuading women back to their place after their Plan A pickup rap fell short.

Fallon Fox’s most recent opponent, Tamika Brents, suffered a broken orbital bone and required seven staples in the head after the beating administered by Fox.

Could anyone seriously not have seen this coming, and is it going to take a death inside the “cage” before anyone running that show gets the message?

“Her grip was different,” Brents said. “Fighting against women, I can usually move around in the clinch. I couldn’t move around with her at all.

“I’ve fought a lot of women, and I’ve never felt that kind of strength. I’m an abnormally strong female in my own right. I can’t say for sure whether it’s because she was born a man, because I’m not a doctor.”

And I’m not a neurologist, but I know that if she really can’t work out the difference, she might have taken too many knocks on the head.

The reasons for why a man would wish to live his life as a woman are sundry, complicated, and his own. When one of the reasons is so that in the new life as a woman she may physically pound other women’s faces into hamburger is when sensible lines have to be drawn.

Gender equality, tolerance and inclusion are admirable aspects of society today. Putting a woman in mortal danger to accommodate political correctness is beyond wrong; it is insane.

In matchups of raw athletic completion, elite male athletes will outstrip elite female athletes 100 times out of 100. Those who would disagree, or decry the unfairness of that fact can take it up with the Cosmic Engineer who drew up the whole deal in the first place.

Veteran sportswriter Gary Seymour’s column appears weekly in the Leader. To contact him, send email to [email protected] this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Bonduel suffers season-opening loss in well-pitched gameBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Shawano American Legion center fielder Chase Henning takes in a routine fly ball in the first inning against Bonduel on Tuesday in Shawano. Henning stole two bases and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning to secure Shawano’s first win of the season.
Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Shawano American Legion pitcher Jack Lacy pitched seven stellar innings, allowing two runs on six hits, Shawano’s win over Bonduel on Tuesday.

A daring play at the plate by Shawano’s Chase Henning in the bottom of the 10th inning gave the Patriots a 3-2 American Legion win Tuesday against visiting Bonduel at Memorial Field.

The win was Shawano’s first of the season after starting the season 0-2.

With the game tied 2-2 after seven innings, both teams went to their relief corps following strong pitching performances by Shawano’s Jack Lacy and Bonduel left-hander Connor Rosin.

Lacy allowed two runs on six hits, struck out four and issued three walks. Rosin had a near identical performance, striking out seven and allowing two runs on six hits, walking two.

“We had really good pitching tonight and solid defense,” Shawano coach Will Gillis said. “I knew it was going to be a challenge to get runs tonight. (Rosin) had a great season and always pitches well.”

Bonduel coach Jack Thiel also was impressed with the teams’ pitching.

“I thought Connor did great, and Lacy looked good out there,” Thiel said. “It was a very well-played game.”

Mason Boogren picked up the win in relief of Lacy. Boogren struck out two batters, allowed one hit and issued one walk.

Trevor Pedersen took the loss. He allowed one hit, walked two hitters and struck out three.

Left fielder Tasa Grignon and third baseman Kasey Kristof each were 2 for 5 for Shawano.

Center fielder Colton Dobratz and Travis Wollenberg were 2 for 5 for Bonduel.

Bonduel (0-1, 0-0 Central Wisconsin) struck first in the top of the first inning with a two-out single by Wollenberg to score Dobratz.

The Patriots responded in the bottom of the second inning on a Tommy Stueck single to score catcher Dan Hanauer, who led off the inning with a double.

Wollenberg scored Bonduel’s second run on a Pedersen fielder’s choice in the sixth inning, but Shawano came back in the sixth inning when Lacy hit a hard shot to third baseman Hunter VanDerLinden to bring in Tasa Grignon.

Henning scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th on a dash to home plate on Kristof’s fielder’s choice.

Henning, who was 0 for 3, had two walks and two stolen bases.

“Chase did it with his legs tonight,” Gillis said. “(We) got a couple guys on, and we put the ball in the play and made it home.”

Gillis said the first win can lay a foundation for the remainder of the season for Shawano (1-2, 0-0 Fox River Valley-West).

“Overall, we are going to improve as the season goes on,” he said. “The more we play, the better we feel.”

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

EAST DIVISION

MARION 3, CLINTONVILLE 2

WP - Cody Reimer LP - Nick Hogan

MARION: Jake Westphal was 2 for 4; Mark Miller was 2 for 4; Jared Sonnenberg was 2 for 4.

CLINTONVILLE: Parker Mendl was 3 for 5; Nick Hogan was 3 for 3; Garrick Morgan was 2 for 4 with a triple.

NEOPIT 7, SHAWANO 1

WP - Alex Peters LP - Ben Schiedermayer

NEOPIT: Dustin Peters was 2 for 3; Levi O’Kimosh was 2 for 4; Brandon Frechette was 2 for 3; Tasa Grignon was 2 for 3.

SHAWANO: Hunter Galeske had the Lakers’ lone RBI.

GRESHAM 12, MENOMINEE 0

WP - Adam Carroll LP - Shane Latender

GRESHAM: Tom Williams was 4 for 6; Joe Ejnik was 2 for 3; Nick Sperberg was 2 for 3.

MENOMINEE: Michael Pecore was 2 for 4.

WEST DIVISION

TIGERTON 13, TILLEDA 0

WP - Paul Sellner LP - Curt Brei

TIGERTON: Brad Breaker was 3 for 3 with a double; Gunner Kopitzke was 3 for 5; Paul Sellner was 2 for 3 with a double; Eric Kroening was 2 for 3 with a double; Pat Provoast had a home run.

TIGERTON 18, TILLEDA 3

WP - Shawn Much LP - Adam Strassburg

TIGERTON: Dylan Berg was 2 for 3 with a double; Pat Provoast was 2 for 3; Brad Breaker was 2 for 3; Pat Bailey had a double.

TILLEDA: Stephen Reinke was 2 for 3 with a double; Curt Brei had a home run.

LEOPOLIS 7, BOWLER 4

The Bulldogs broke a 4-4 tie with three runs in the top of the ninth to claim the victory.

WP - Austin Paiser LP - Thomas Kazik

LEOPOLIS: Aaron Hoffman was 3 for 4; Tyler Schoen was 2 for 3 with two doubles.

BOWLER: Wes Bierman was 3 for 3; Austin Trinko and Chase Nueske each had a double.

LITTLE FALLS 4, CAROLINE 2 (11 innings)

Hunter Grunnewald blasted a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th to lead the Loggers past the Cougars.

WP - Chris Dunn LP - Jake Madsen

LITTLE FALLS: Hunter Grunnewald was 2 for 5.

NORTH DIVISION

WITTENBERG 4, POLAR 3

Jason Deruchowski’s two-run single in the bottom of the eighth sent the Pilots to victory over Polar.

WP- Keegan Miller LP - Eric Schielke

WITTENBERG: Jason Deruchowski was 2 for 5; Blu Anderson had a double.

POLAR: Luke Wickersheim was 2 for 4.

ELDERON 12, ANIWA 5

WP - Rick Boda LP - Denton Mortenson

ELDERON: Marv Meronk was 4 for 6 with two doubles; Justin Meronk was 3 for 4 with a double; Logan Hickman was 3 for 6 with a double; Brandon Groshek was 3 for 5; Matt Meronk was 3 for 5; Alan Kulas was 2 for 3 with a double; Troy Leiskau was 2 for 6 with a double.

ANIWA: Bryce Chrudimsky was 2 for 3.

BIRNAMWOOD 6, ELAND 2

WP - Austin Reed LP - Jared Richter

BIRNAMWOOD: Jason Reick was 4 for 5 with a double; Tim Rew was 2 for 4; Brian Rew was 2 for 4.

ELAND: Tyler Betry was 1 for 2.

SOUTH-CENTRAL DIVISION

SCANDINAVIA 5, NEW LONDON 1

WP - Dave Kendra LP - Joe Schuster

SCANDINAVIA: Jake Larson was 4 for 4; Logan Moe was 2 for 3; Jeff Deckert was 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs; Willie Rosenthal was 2 for 4.

PLOVER 2 WAUPACA 1 (12 innings)

Bill Held drove in Nate Fredrickson with the winning run in the bottom of the 12th as the Pterodactyls edged the Lakemen.

WP - Greg Trudel LP - Jim Nighbor

MANAWA AT WEYMONT

No results were reported.

WAUPACA 14, MANAWA 1

WP - Jim Nighbor LP - Garrett Griffin

WAUPACA: Jim Nighbor was 2 for 3 with a home run and five RBIs; David Yeska was 2 for 2 with RBIs; Josh Peterson was 2 for 3.

MANAWA: Jason Steinbach was 2 for 3.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

USAir track draws record number of go-kart series entriesBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Go-kart racers practice on Friday at US Air Motorsports in preparation for the Route 66 Sprint Series this weekend. The event will feature up to 350 racers from around the country.
Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Andrick Zeen, left, of Huntington Beach, California, and mechanic Blake Wankowski, of Milwaukee, make adjustments to Zeen’s kart at US Air Motorsports on Friday. Zeen, 22, will be among 350 drivers to compete during the Route 66 Sprint Series on Saturday and Sunday. It will mark his third appearance at the track and first since 2008.

More than 350 go-kart racers from across the country will converge at U.S. Air Motorsports Raceway for the Route 66 Sprint Series this weekend.

The first two rounds of the 10-race championship chase (counting the best eight toward the point standings) began in April outside Springfield, Illinois, at the Mid-State Kart Club facility. Shawano is the second stop in the series.

Mark Coats, CEO of the Route 66 series, said U.S. Air Motorsports Raceway was selected for the race based on its reputation among other national circuits.

“We used to race here for another series and we liked this track, but we hardly ever come up this far north,” Coats said. “And it is a lot of drivers’ favorite track to come to; it is just hard to get to.”

Coats noted that while there are not many Wisconsinites competing, there will be representatives from at least 20 states, from Florida to California, at the weekend series.

The race has drawn a series record 340 drivers as of Friday, with Coats expecting more to arrive by Saturday. The previous record was 309.

Andrick Zeen said he has not raced at the track since 2008. The 22-year-old Californian noted US Air Motorsports is a unique track.

“The track is awesome. It’s longer than what we normally run. There is a lot of elevation to it,” Zeen said. “It is a challenge and a bit mysterious because we don’t come here too often.”

The series will make another stop in Wisconsin when it visits Dousman from Sept. 11-13 for the final race of the season. Up to $75,000 will be awarded to racers at a banquet in Springfield after the season concludes.

The series is divided into five age brackets: kid carts (5-8), rookies (8-10), sportsman (10-12), junior (12-15) and senior (15 and older).

Coats said the majority of participants are in the junior and senior classes. The carts have two-cycle engines, mostly manufactured by either Yamaha or IAME or Vortex.

Admission to the backside of the track is free; pit passes cost $20.

Officials with US Air Motorsports declined to comment.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Route 66 Sprint Series

WHERE: US Air Motorsports, W5901 County Road BE, Shawano.

WHEN: Saturday: 7:30 a.m. gates open, 8-11:30 a.m. practice, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. qualifying races, 1-7 p.m. finals.; Sunday: 7:30 a.m. gates open, 8-9 a.m. warmup, 9-4 p.m. qualifying/finals.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Scott Owen, Special to the Leader

The first big event of the 2015 race season at Shawano Speedway is upon us with Havoc on the Half Mile.

The Late Model division will battle for a $2,000 top prize and a $15,000 total payout. The race will be 40 laps and feature 28 cars to start.

Another item of note is that the Late Models also have time trials, which were part of the weekly show through 1987, when they were dropped from the program. The only other time that time trials are used at Shawano is during the annual World of Outlaws Late Model special.

This show should a nice mix of southern Wisconsin invaders. Mitch McGrath and his dad, Joe McGrath, were each at the track last week to try and get a good setup and feel for the track. Rick and Taylor Scheffler are expected to join the battle this weekend.

Next week the track will pay the IMCA Stock Car feature winner $750, which is a pretty nice amount for the class too tough to tame. One can expect a strong field of cars for this event, also. Travis VanStraten has staked his claim as the driver to beat by winning five features this season in six weeks of racing.

Looking back at last week’s racing, Jared Siefert, Dan Michonski and Scott Stewart all made their awaited debuts. Siefert had an impressive second-place finish in his heat, but struggled a bit in the feature, finishing 18th. Michonski had problems with a power steering in the heat, but was strong in the feature, finishing eighth. Scott Stewart had the best feature finish of the three, coming home seventh.

Hats off to Shawano’s very own Kyle Raddant, who finished a career-best fourth in the IMCA Sport Mod feature. He is a third-generation racer. His grandfather, Willard, and father, Brad, provided the racing genes to Kyle. He used to sit next to me in the tower every Saturday night and operated the scoreboard. Kyle is a hardworking and polite young man. He is the kind of boy you would want your daughter to bring home. Through six weeks of racing, Raddant is sixth in the point standings, only 19 points behind leaders Tracy Wassenberg and Jason Jach.

Look for bigger and better things on the horizon out of this young hot shoe.

See you at the speedway.

Havoc hits Shawano Speedway SaturdayRate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Team finished 2nd in division last yearBy: 

Troy A. Bruzewski, [email protected]

The Shawano American Legion baseball team will rely on pitching depth to try advancing in this year’s postseason.

Last year, two losses to Oconto Falls in the regional concluded Shawano’s season. Shawano lost to Oconto Falls in the opening round, then a win against Mosinee setup a rematch, which Oconto Falls won.

“The first-round loss was a very good game,” Shawano coach Will Gillis said. “Both pitchers had double-digit strikeouts. After we won in the consolation round, they got us again.”

Shawano’s season ended after a second-place finish in the Fox River Valley’s West Division with a 10-4 record and a 14-7 mark overall.

Gillis said pitching was a team strength last year and will be again this year, though more for the number of quality throwers this year.

“Our team had good starters and a good reliever, so pitching was a big part of our success last year,” Gillis said. “Our pitching depth is better this year, with more guys who know how to pitch than we did last year.”

Grant Wainio is one of the pitchers returning; he also will spend time behind the plate. Other key returners include middle infielder Zack Sousek and centerfielder Chase Henning.

Gillis said they are some of those responsible for producing key hits and keeping the team in the game while the hits weren’t as plentiful.

“We had a lot of clutch hits as well as aggressive base running,” he said. “There were a couple of one or two-run games where we couldn’t produce the offensive that we usually did and the pitching and defense kept us in it.”

Ky Schmidt, Jack Lacy, Brendan Cummings, Tommy Stueck, Mason Boogren and Brandon Warrington also are returning seniors for Shawano.

Gillis added that last year’s team had a fast start that included an eight-game win streak, though Shawano might have played its best prior to the postseason.

“We started last year really well and peaked toward the middle of the season,” he said. “Maybe we peaked too early in the season.”

That hasn’t been the case so far for Shawano in its first two games of the season. In the season opener, Shawano lost, 5-4, to Clintonville. On Wednesday, Oconto Falls won, 5-0.

“We still have a few question marks in the lineup to figure out, but we’re trying to get a feel for the team before we have a final lineup,” Gillis said.

AT A GLANCE

Shawano American Legion baseball team roster

Ky Schmidt 2B

Zack Sousek SS

Chase Henning CF

Brendan Cummings P

Brandon Warrington 1B/DH

Jack Lacy P/OF

Grant Wainio P/C

Nate Laude P/OF

Kasey Kristof IF

Tommy Stueck 1B/P

Mason Boogren P/OF

Tasa Grignon P/IF

Brett Lorge C

Dylan Sumnicht P/utility

Quin LaBillois OF

Jack Hanauer C

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Dowden and Reinke have played together since 4th gradeBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Leader File Photo Recent Bonduel High School graduate Jennifer Dowden, above, will play basketball next year at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee along with BHS teammate Alexa Reinke.
Leader File Photo Recent Bonduel High School graduate Alexa Reinke, above, will play basketball next year at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee along with BHS teammate Jennifer Dowden.

A connection that began in fourth grade at St. Paul Lutheran School in Bonduel will continue into college.

Recent Bonduel High School graduates Jennifer Dowden and Lexi Reinke have committed to play basketball at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee next season.

Basketball was not the only reason the girls chose WLC, however.

Reinke was drawn to the school’s nursing program and its connections with nearby Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital. Dowden, who considered the University of Wisconsin-Madison, decided the smaller school will provide more individualized attention in the classroom as she pursues a career in physical therapy.

“Nursing is a big thing there, and that is what I want to go into,” said Reinke, who also considered Lakeland College in Sheboygan.

Reinke, who graduated in the top 10 percent of the BHS Class of 2015, will drop volleyball and softball to focus on basketball and academics.

“I not only worked hard in athletics, but also worked hard to become a good student,” she said. “I knew that sports were a great way to learn life skills, but ultimately I needed to do well in the classroom to be successful in a career some day.”

Dowden finished in the top 10 percent of her class.

“At WLC, I will get more one-to-one with the professors, where they will work with me while playing sports and also being able to work with them instead of being just a number,” she said.

While they’re dedicated to the academics, Reinke and Dowden also are looking forward to continuing the on-court connection they’ve built over several years.

“I think its really cool being able to continue playing with her, since we have been playing basketball together since grade school,” Dowden said. “It will be a fun experience.”

“I think it is really cool,” Reinke said. “We have chemistry together, so I think it will bring a lot to the team. I think we are both excited for it.”

They started their journey as fourth-graders, played in the Wisconsin State Invitational Tournament for sixth- to eight-graders together and competed in the Lutheran Schools National Tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana. In seventh grade, they teamed up in the summer as members of the Legends of Green Bay AAU team.

Reinke’s pivotal season came in the eighth grade when she switched to the Green Bay Metro AAU squad.

“It was probably one of the summers that defined me as a player,” Reinke said. “New team, new coach, new teammates. I had to learn to be my own player and not rely on anyone else.”

A 6-inch growth spurt between her freshman and sophomore years also posed a challenge for the 5-foot-11 Reinke, who worked hard on her ball-handling skills and shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

The practice paid off for Reinke and her teammates. The Bears won back-to-back Central Wisconsin Conference-8 titles and compiled a 22-2 record last season. Reinke lead the team in steals (61), was second in 3-pointers (34), and was third in rebounds (102) and points (193).

Dowden led the Bears in rebounds (173), points (326) and blocks (33). She supplanted Bill Uelman as the school’s all-time leading scorer, with 1,397 points, and set BHS girls career records for rebounds (789), blocks (180) and two-points field goals (469).

Dowden was the CWC-8 player of the year, and Reinke was a unanimous selection to the all-conference first team.

Wisconsin Lutheran finished with a 24-5 record last year and will lose four seniors, which means there might be playing time for the freshmen.

“They had a great program and I wanted to be part of a team like that,” Reinke said. “And I wanted to be able to play.”

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

One final mission remains for Jennifer Dowden and Lexi Reinke in their Bonduel High School girls basketball careers before they don their new uniforms at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee.

The recent graduates were selected to play at the 36th annual Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game in Wisconsin Dells on June 19.

Melissa Dowden, who coached the Bears to a 22-2 overall record and back-to-back Central Wisconsin Conference-8 titles, will join her daughter and Reinke as coach of the Division 4 North All-Stars. Assistant Dan Stoltenow and Al Guthman of Owen-Withee also will help coach the squad of 10 seniors.

Melissa Dowden began scouting players during the postseason and made her selections in May. No more than two players were allowed from each school.

“With Jen and Lexi, it was an easy choice,” Melissa Dowden said.

Other players on the North squad are Jonalyn Wittwer, Fall Creek; Emily Wagner, Chequamegon; Emily Shallow, Oconto; Dani Nelson, Augusta; Haley Gibbons, Regis; Wynonah Filla, Osseo-Fairchild; Dannielle Dachel, Colfax; and Alaina Beimborn, Brillion.

The public will be able to see the players Sunday when they arrive at Bonduel High School for two days of practice prior to travelling to Wisconsin Dells. There will be an open practice at 7 p.m. Sunday.

“A couple of them averaged 20 points a game, which is going to be fun to watch,” Melissa Dowden said. “We will have a houseful of players staying overnight.”

They will compete against a South squad consisting of Mollie Wedige, Cuba City; Jamie Spanbauer, Lourdes Academy; Kelli Schrauth, St. Mary Springs; Melanie Schneider, St. Mary Springs; Chelsea Ritter, Aquinas; Chlo Pustina, Cuba City; Monica Muth, Cambridge; Jakaila Jordan, Martin Luther; Natalia Iruegas, Racine St. Catherine’s; and Emily Hlavacek, Racine Lutheran.

The south coaches are Jodi Fisher and Jesi Haak of Deerfield and Gabe Haberkorn of Waterloo.

Jennifer Dowden and Reinke earned all-star nods following an epic 2014-15 season which included a 19-game winning streak and another Central Wisconsin Conference-8 championship. Dowden was named the conference’s player of the year, and Reinke was a unanimous first-team selection.

“The back-to-back conference championships for girls basketball are very great memories,” Reinke said. “This year being named to the first team all-conference as a unanimous decision and being named to the WBCA All-Star Game are honors I will treasure.”

Game time is tentatively slated for 10:45 a.m. June 19 at JustAgame Fieldhouse, 200 La Crosse St., Wisconsin Dells.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Gary Seymour, [email protected]

No matter how you feel about Brett Favre, you have to give the man credit.

Whether you regard him as a quisling for leaving the Packers, or appreciate the great years he had in Green Bay, it is impossible to not stand in awe of his amazing record for longevity.

Favre started 321 consecutive games in the National Football League. This would be a remarkable feat if a punter did it. A quarterback staying healthy enough to start that many games in a row is unfathomable.

A throwback in a new-age world, Favre worked his way into the starting lineup and stayed there. His record for consecutive starts, a tribute to both toughness and skill, will never be threatened.

Favre thereby joins a short list of players, one that includes Cy Young and Wilt Chamberlain, who hold all-time records that will never be broken.

Young is the baseball pitcher for whom the eponymous award is given annually to the best arms in the National and American Leagues. Cy Young had 511 career wins, and also 749 complete games. With pitch-count limits and late-inning specialty relief pitchers the order of the day, starters today rarely get more than a handful of complete games a season, and maybe 20-30 decisions, tops. Cy’s records seem pretty safe.

The untouchable record set by Wilt “The Stilt” was scoring an NBA record 100 points in a single game. You may wonder, where was the double-team? This record, like those of Cy Young, came in a different era. Back in the early 1960s NBA they played what often looked like “gingerbread man” defense — mostly an arms-out, benign body language formality. No NBA team today would let an opponent drop a hundred on them. Wilt’s single-game scoring record is also safe.

Where he stacks up against the Casanovas of the world is another matter. In his autobiography, Wilt claimed to have romanced 20,000 women throughout his lifetime. In addition to putting a new twist on the “Big Dipper” handle that he went by in college, this racy return to the spotlight probably helped the 7-foot-2 Lothario move a few books.

Against seemingly long odds, Chamberlain died in 1999 with no children and — in another tribute to a bygone era — zero paternity suits ever having been filed against him.

Chamberlain was the big-numbers guy of his generation on and maybe also off the court, but he looks like a piker compared to the stud that brought international acclaim to Shawano.

A few weeks ago marked the six-month anniversary of the death of Toystory, the all-time heavyweight champion of dairy cattle artificial insemination whose product is used by breeders in more than 50 countries.

Toystory died at 13 years old last November having left a legacy of mythical proportions in the world of bovine reproduction. Two hundred and fifty-six gallons, to be exact. Out of the record-breaking 2.415 million units he contributed throughout his nearly 10 years on the job, Toystory would sire an estimated half-million high-quality offspring.

Going 500,000 for 2,415,000 makes him only a career .207 hitter, but the important thing to remember is that a half-million calves is about 25 times the output for a typical bull. He was the Babe Ruth of his generation.

“Toystory reached a level of production that might never occur again in history,” surmised the Genex press release following Toystory’s passing. “ … it is very possible that no other bull will ever surpass his record.”

To this wondrous quadruped I raise a glass — of milk — in toast of a performer who came to play and who, like the indestructible Favre, the redoubtable Young and the provocative Wilt, gave it all he had.

Veteran sportswriter Gary Seymour’s column appears weekly in the Leader. To contact him, send email to [email protected] this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Cougars rough up Pedersen in 3rd inningBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Bonduel High School senior Hunter VanDerLinden takes a swing against Coleman during the WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal game Tuesday at Marathon High School. VanDerLinden had a double and scored the Bears’ only run in a 4-1 loss.
Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Bonduel High School junior Trevor Pedersen prepares to launch a pitch Tuesday in the first inning of the WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal against Coleman in Marathon. The Bears lost 4-1 after allowing four runs in the third inning.

Rattled nerves and a hard-hitting Coleman High School team contributed to Bonduel’s 4-1 loss Tuesday in a WIAA Division 3 baseball sectional semifinal at Marathon.

Bonduel junior Trevor Pedersen retired the first six Cougars he faced, but hit a roadblock in the third inning when Coleman scored all of its runs. It was Bonduel’s second loss of the season.

“Bonduel had a good game plan coming in, but in the third inning, we started hitting the ball hard,” Coleman coach Kent Casper said.

In the fateful inning, Pedersen walked Jacob Steeno, then struck out the following two batters before the wheels fell off. Nick Sailer (2 for 3) hit a double, and starting pitcher Matt Osterberg brought in both runners with liner down the first-base line. Osterberg later scored on a rocket up the middle by Hunter Stodola, who eventually scored on a fielding error on an attempted pick-off to make it 4-0.

Pedersen, visibly shaken, needed to take a step off the mound to recompose himself.

“He got rattled by those hits,” BHS coach Don Gruenewald said. “That was the first time all season that Trevor was hit that hard, and they were not cheap hits; they were line drives up the middle.”

Pedersen returned for the fourth inning and sat the Cougars down in order before being lifted for senior left-hander Connor Rosin. Pedersen finished with two strikeouts and a walk. He allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits.

Rosin pitched three scoreless innings, striking out five hitters and holding Coleman (21-6, 10-2 Marinette & Oconto Conference) to a hit and walk.

“(Rosin) did a good job coming in. He has good stuff, a good slider,” Casper said. “He shut us down when he came in.”

Hunter VanDerLinden, who led off the sixth inning with a double, scored Bonduel’s only run on a one-out RBI single by Travis Wollenberg (2 for 3).

Bonduel (22-2, 13-1 Central Wisconsin Conference-8) squandered multiple scoring opportunities, leaving eight runners on base, compared to four for Coleman.

“We just couldn’t get our bats going,” Gruenewald said.

Osterberg struck out seven and allowed one run on five hits. He issued three walks.

Bonduel will lose nine of its 14 players to graduation, including Rosin — the CWC-8’s player of the year, Wollenberg, VanDerLinden, Colton Dobratz, Jordan Richter, Tanner Mews, Austin Siolka, Patrick Thiel and Steven Olson.

“These guys came to work this year, worked hard every day, never complained and were honorable kids,” Gruenewald said. “They handled themselves well all year long and opposing coaches said the same thing

The Bears will rely on Pedersen and fellow juniors Bailey Dingeldein, Blake Stoss and Bennett Gunderson next season.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Hawks suffer 10-2 loss in regional finalBy: 

By Jeremy Mayo, The Northwoods River News

Photo by Bob Mainhardt Rhinelander’s Gabbe Millot dribbles away from Shawano Community High School junior Sarah Dickmann during the first half of Shawano’s 10-2 loss Saturday in a WIAA Division 2 regional final.
Photo by Bob Mainhardt Shawano Community High School sophomore Colleen McFarlane (6) tries to head a ball away from Rhinelander’s Sydney Zettler during the first half of Shawano’s 10-2 loss in a WIAA Division 2 regional final Saturday.

Last year, the Rhinelander High School girls soccer team needed a penalty kick shootout to advance to the WIAA sectionals. A repeat of last year’s dramatics was never a worry Saturday.

Shawano was the latest victim of Rhinelander’s offensive juggernaut as the Hawks’ season came to an end with a 10-2 loss on the road Saturday in a WIAA Division 2 regional final. It was the third straight regional title for the Hodags.

Alayna Franson, Sydney Zettler and Gabbe Millot all scored hat tricks for the Hodags (19-3-2), who turned a 1-1 game into a blowout with seven unanswered goals.

Megan Klitzke and Sarah Dickmann scored for Shawano (9-10-2). Morgan Klitzke and Louisa Keenan each recorded assists.

Saturday’s match evolved into a rout by the half-hour mark. Gabbe Millot lifted the lid on the scoring in the fourth minute, finishing a string of laser-like passes. Millot’s first shot was denied, but she put home her own rebound.

Shawano squared the match in the 16th minute as junior Morgan Klitzke sent an attempt that Rhinelander keeper Sarah Babcock tired to grab, only to watch it slip out of her grasp. Megan Klitzke was there to track down the loose ball and tap it into the empty net.

It was the first goal Rhinelander had surrendered since a 2-2 draw May 21 at Lakeland. If anything, it just made the Hodags more determined.

In the 18th minute, Franson tracked down the ball, dribbled in on goal and beat keeper Carlie Hinnefeld, who had 15 saves. Millot and Franson hooked up on nearly an identical play in the 22nd minute. Then, in the 28th minute, Millot sent a cross to Franson, who was unmarked in the left side of the box. Franson finished from 15 yards to make it 4-1.

Later in the first half, Millot sent a free kick from about 50 yards out to the top of the 18-yard box for Zettler, who took two touches past the defense and scored easily. Four minutes later on a free kick from 60 yards out, Millot found Zettler again. This time Zettler gathered a deflection off defender Colleen McFarlane to get behind the defense and tapped a shot past Hinnefeld.

Zettler, who has seven goals in two playoff games, finished her hat trick two minutes into the second half, scoring from 15 yards off.

Millot made it 8-1 in the 52nd minute and finished her hat trick in the 68th. Sturzl added a goal for the Hodags in the 79th minute.

Though the final score was lopsided, Shawano did test the Hodag defense on occasion, tallying 16 shots. The Hawks’ second goal came in the 62nd minute as Dickmann rainbowed a ball from 25 yards that went just under the crossbar and over Babcock’s hands.

The 16 shots were the most the Hodags’ defense has faced for the better part of a month.

“They were tested,” Rhinelander coach Dan Millot said of his defense. “Realistically, that score should have been 10-0, and you’ve got to give Shawano credit for putting shots on goal and following up on shots.”

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Clintonville driver leads each lap to win IMCA featureBy: 

Scott Owen, Special to the Leader

Clintonville’s Lucas Lamberies led every lap of the IMCA Sport Mod feature at Shawano Speedway on Saturday, earning his first win of the year.

Prior to the feature win, Lamberies won the first of two heat races in the division, followed by Wyatt Block and Brianna Ambroziak. Tracy Wassenberg won the other heat race.

Lamberies then led each lap to win the feature and gain on Wassenberg and Block in the division point standings. He trailed Wassenberg by 13 points entering the race; updated standings were not available before press time.

Late Model

Tim Rothe started on the pole and took an early lead in the Late Model feature. The early stage of the race was plagued by caution flags, but on each restart Rothe was able to fend off Jeff Curtin. Within four laps, Nick Anvelink had advanced from eighth to third on the track and joined Curtin in pressuring Rothe for the lead. A caution after lap 10 again bunched the field together. Curtin was able to muscle his way to the lead on lap 11. Anvelink also passed Rothe to take second. Curtin held the lead until lap 14, when Anvlink took the point.

Anvelink quickly pulled away from the rest of the field as the race stayed green. In the end it was Anvelink winning his fourth feature of the year. Curtin crossed the line in a season-best second. Rothe took third. Justin Hirt finished fourth, after starting 10th in his first visit to the track this summer.

IMCA Modified

The IMCA Modified feature had an early three-car tussle for the top spot among Kevin Feck, John Berna and Eddie Muenster. On the second lap, Muenster took the top spot while Feck and Berna battled for second. By lap five Jerry Wilinski broke into the top four after passing Tony Wedelstadt. A caution on lap 10 for debris, slowed the pace. As the race went green again, Muenster reclaimed the lead on the restart, while Wilinski went to work on Berna to gain the second spot. Wilinski set his sights on Muenster but could not track him down as Muenster won his second race in a row. Berna finished in third and Marcus Yarie took fourth.

IMCA Stock Car

Rookie Cody Gagnon led the opening lap of the IMCA Stock Car feature before being passed by Luke Uttecht on the second lap. Uttecht remained in front for one lap before Mike Schmidt grabbed the lead a lap later. Schmidt’s time in front also was limited to one lap as Travis VanStraten took the lead on lap four.

Gary Kasperek passed Schmidt three laps later to take second, with VanStraten pulling away in first. Brandon Czarapata put a move on Kasperek to take away the second spot and the first three positions remained unchanged for the duration of the race. It was the fifth win of the year for VanStraten.

Mighty Four

Lucas Hacker went from seventh to first at the start of the Mighty Four feature and led the opening three laps of the race before Brad Wedde took the lead on lap four. Wedde, Calvin Stueck, and Hacker raced close for the top spot, then Aaron Milavitz entered the fray on lap nine by passing Hacker to move into third. Hacker was forced to pit lane to change a tire on lap 10. Milavitz, meanwhile had a tire go flat on lap 10 causing a spin and he forced from the race also. This left a two-lap shootout to decide the race. Wedde was able to hold off his cousin, Stueck, for his second win of the year.

Spectator Eliminator

Dave Stoffer and Brian Welch each won their division in Spectator Eliminator action.

This week

Racing will continue Saturday night with the “Havoc on the Half Mile” Late Model special. Time trials for Late Models will start at 6 p.m. Racing will start at 6:30 p.m. with a full program of racing along with the $2,000-to-win Late Model feature.

More information is available is available online at www.shawanospeedway.net.

Shawano Speedway

June 6

Late Model Feature: 1. Nick Anvelink, 2. Jeff Curtin, 3. Tim Rothe, 4. Justin Hirt, 5. Joe Reuter, 6.Tom Naeyaert, 7. Brett Swedberg, 8. Mitch McGrath, 9. Ron Berna, 10. Doug Blashe.

Heat 1: 1.Reuter, 2. Chris Oertel, 3. McGrath.

Heat 2: 1.Rothe, 2. Hirt, 3. Curtin.

Heat 3: 1. Swedberg, 2. Jared Siefert, 3. Anvelink.

IMCA Modified Feature: 1. Eddie Muenster, 2. Jerry Wilinski, 3. John Berna, 4. Marcus Yarie, 5. Tony Wedelstadt, 6. Cody Hudson, 7. Kevin Feck, 8. Matt Oreskovich, 9. Mitch Stankowski, 10.Mark Weisnicht.

Last Chance Qualifier: 1. John Peters, 2. Jesse Peebles, 3. Art Siefert.

Heat 1: 1. Yarie, 2. Hudson, 3. Berna.

Heat 2: 1. Stankowski, 2. Jamie Schmidt, 3. Wedelstadt.

Heat 3: 1. Oreskovich, 2. Weisnicht, 3. Jerry Muenster.

Heat 4: 1. Wilinski, 2. Eddie Muenster, 3. Feck.

IMCA Stock Car Feature: 1. Travis VanStraten, 2. Brandon Czarapata, 3. Gary Kasperek, 4. Mike Schmidt, 5. Rod Snellenberger, 6. Dustin Loberger, 7. Scott Stewart, 8. Dan Michonski, 9. Luke Uttecht, 10. Tom Riehl.

Heat 1: 1. Snellenberger, 2. Stewart, 3. Uttecht.

Heat 2: 1. Kasperek, 2. Czarapata, 3. Riehl.

Heat 3: 1. Schmidt, 2. VanStraten, 3. Vern Stedjee.

IMCA Sport Mod Feature: 1. Lucas Lamberies, 2. Jordan Bartz, 3. Jason Jach, 4. Kyle Raddant, 5. Brianna Ambroziak, 6. Logan Fleischman, 7. Don Woller, 8. Tyler Thiex, 9. Greg Magsam, 10. Lloyd Allen.

Heat 1: 1. Lamberies, 2. Wyatt Block, 3. Ambroziak.

Heat 2: 1. Tracy Wassenberg, 2. Jach, 3. Fleischman.

Mighty Four Feature: 1. Brad Wedde, 2. Calvin Stueck, 3. Dalton Nelson, 4. Carl King, 5. Grant Kastning, 6. Forrest Kerneen, 7. Lucas Hacker, 8. Lewis Jepson, 9. James Bohm, 10. Cody Reed.

Heat 1: 1. Stueck, 2. Kastning, 3. Aaron Milavitz.

Heat 2: 1. Hacker, 2. Wedde, 3. Nelson.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

Payne also has top-five finish in triple jumpBy: 

Leader Staff

Gresham-Bowler senior Drew Payne won the WIAA Division 3 long jump in the two-day state track and field meet that concluded Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Payne’s mark of 21 feet, 11.5 inches was one of just three jumps beyond the 21-foot threshold and earned 10 points for Gresham-Bowler in the team standings.

The Panthers finished with 14 points, placing them in a five-team tie for 16th. Marathon won the team title with 42 points, edging Newman Catholic (41) for the top spot.

Payne (42-10) also earned a top-five finish in the triple jump, earning Gresham-Bowler’s other four points. Wayland Academy’s Alex Idonije won the event at 44-6.5.

Menominee Indian earned a point with Gordon James’ finish in the 200-meter dash. The senior was eighth in 23.56 seconds. James (11.55) also finished 13th in the 100. Eagles’ teammate Alphonso Smith just missed a point-paying finish in the shot put, finishing ninth at 47-10.5.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet

By: 

Leader Staff

The Shawano Community High School boys track and field team qualified competitors for three events in the WIAA Division 1 state championships at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, though neither athlete advanced past the preliminary round.

Senior Daniel Boivin qualified for the state meet, which concluded Saturday, in the pole vault and 300-meter hurdles, and senior Jake Klister qualified in the 800.

Boivin’s mark of 13 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault, placed him in a tie for 12th, which was outside of advancing to the final. Competitors needed at least a 14-foot effort to advance. Sheboygan North’s Dan Becker won the event at 15-0.

Boivin was 18th in the 300 hurdles, finishing the preliminary at 40.45 seconds, roughly a second from advancing. Eric Fogltanz of Manitowoc Lincoln won the event in 37.82.

Klister finished 16th in the 800 with a time of 1:59.36, which was 2.3 seconds from reaching a transfer to the finals.

Rate this article:  Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet